RotG: Frosted Heartbreak, Warming Love
by EasterFrost
Summary: Set nine months after Pitch's defeat- the Guardians celebrate a Christmas party at Santaoff Clausen. Bunny, who broke Jaclyn's heart nine months earlier, feels guilty for what he did and tried to get Jaclyn back- but what will he do when he realized he not only broke her heart, but tore her trust apart as well? FEM! Jack FrostXBunnymund! Rating may go up in later chapters.
1. The Dance

RotG: Frosted Heartbreak, Warming Love…  
Jaclyn's POV

It has been nine months since Pitch's defeat, and since then, I'd come open about my crush on Bunny- only to have him shatter my hopes when I 'ditched' everyone on Easter, leaving them vulnerable to Pitch's Nightmares while I talked to the Boogeyman himself. We've been distant since, barely talking to each other.

Bunny _knew_ how much heartbreak he'd caused me, yet he still acted aloof and uncaring towards me. I drew further and further into myself, not allowing any to break my protective shell- until the night North invited us all to his workshop for a Christmas party. I knew Bunny was going to be there, and tried everything to avoid going- but North insisted I come, if not for him, then for myself seeing as how it would be a celebration on my becoming a Guardian as well.

That's how I got here, stuck in my room at North's workshop, having Tooth fitting a light-blue, knee-length dress onto me with short, snow-white leggings that ended just above my ankles, and simple white shoes. She'd fixed up my hair so it was neat and tidy- I refused to let her tie it up, so we'd compromised by simply brushing it out until it was neater.  
"Tooth, are you finished yet? I wanna get this over with already…"  
"You have to look nice tonight- there's plenty of spirits coming who you haven't met, and you must make a good first impression!" she scolded, tucking a pink flower into my hair before nodding in approval.  
"There, you're ready. Let's go."

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Jaclyn's POV

With Tooth leading the way, we managed to make our way down to the main floor of the toyshop, and I realized how right Tooth was- there were literally hundreds of spirits here! Most of them seem to be seasonal spirits, like me, but some seemed to represent holidays, like the short man dressed in green hanging by the punch bowl- obviously the Leprechaun, representing St. Patrick's Day.  
Or the guy dressed in a torn, black shirt with spiky, orange hair and purple eyes, cat-whiskers and a permanent grin on his face- obviously Hallow, the spirit of Halloween.

"Hello there, you must be Jaclyn Frost." A cheery voice said in my ear. I turned around to face a small girl, dressed in a magenta-pink jacket with a lighter pink shirt and a set of arrows, complete with bow, hanging on her back, with a pair of pink pilot's goggles pushed onto the top of her head. I recognized her from the wings on her back.

"Cupid Amour. What are you doing here- need to break my heart some more?" I hissed vehemently. I'd blamed her from the start of my crush on Bunny- I mean, she's the spirit of love, why wouldn't I blame her?!- and I wouldn't stop now.

"Easy, girl," she said, backing up slightly, hands splayed in front of her protectively. "I'm sorry about that, but I got a way to make it up to you."  
"How? You shattered my heart beyond repair…" I whispered, eyes downcast.

"Oh, sweetheart, if there's one thing I know, it's that hearts can be mended. See Bunny over there?" she said, pointing over to a far wall.

Sure enough, Bunny was leaning up against the wall, glaring over at me fiercely. I felt a shiver go up my spine as I turned back to Cupid, only to see she was already gone. I wandered over closer to Bunny, making sure he didn't notice me doing so.

I was a few metres away from him when suddenly; I heard a noise over to the side. I turned, and saw Cupid on a small stage with a bunch of other spirits, Hallow and St. Patrick among them.

_ Are they going to do what I think they're going to do…?_  
"This song is dedicated to all the young couples out there- you heard it straight from Cupid, grab a lucky someone and start dancing!"  
_ You bloody, fucking bastard, I can't believe you…_

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Jaclyn's POV

I recognised the song as it started up- 'Thousand Years' by Christina Perri and Steve Kazee.  
_ Is she __trying__ to get Bunny to kill me?!_  
'The day we met, Frozen I held my breath.'  
_ He's looking at me!_ Bunny was looking me right in the eye, emotions gleaming within his gaze.  
'Right from the start, I knew that I'd found a home for my heart…  
Beats fast, Colors and promises…'  
_ My heart aches… it's like that day, all over again… I can't do this!_  
'How to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid to fall…'  
_ Afraid to fall for him again… yeah, that's it…_  
'But watching you stand alone, all of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow…'  
_ Wait a second… is he coming closer?!_  
'One' he was slowly walking closer to me, closing the distance between us as I stood, frozen in place.  
_ Why can't I move?! _ All I could do was stare at him, wide-eyed with fear and anticipation as he got even closer, a look of pure determination on his face.  
'step'  
_ Almost here… w-what's he thinking… he's going to hit me again, isn't he…_  
'closer…'

"Hey, Jackie. I saw ya hanging here alone, an' thought ya might wanna dance- wit' me?" he said carefully, words guarded.  
Time stopped- the music was gone, time stood still, everyone in the room seemed to have shifted their full focus onto me and Bunny. I froze in terror- would he burst out in anger if I said no?

Fearful of another rejection, or worse, another hit resulting in more scars, I shrugged lightly, letting out a small, fake laugh as his face seemed to light up.  
"S-sure, why not, Bunny?" he reached for my arm, pulling me close to him as I let out a small squeak.

"Alrigh', c'mere then…" he said, wrapping his arms around me- one paw on my shoulder, the other slightly above my waist. I placed both my hands on his shoulders, nervously staring at the ground as he led me to the middle of the room in a slow waltz. My hands locked together behind his neck, mind battling for dominance with my heart…

'I have died every day waiting for you, darling don't be afraid, I will love you, for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more…'  
_ He'll never love me… I got to stop fooling myself…_  
Tears pricked my eyes as we waltzed around the room slowly.

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Bunny's POV

I'd decided to shut out how I really felt about her. I mean, why would she seriously consider having a crush on a rabbit?  
Everything was going great… we'd tease each other occasionally, but nothing serious… until Cupid intervened.

When Jaclyn confessed her love to me mere days after defeating Pitch, I was shocked. I mean, I'd practically just learned a day ago that she wasn't the annoying boy I'd thought she was for 300 years, and suddenly, she's confessing her love to me?!

I admit, when I rejected her, I was probably more than a little cruel to her… I knew I'd shattered her heart with what I'd said, I'd heard her crying for three weeks after that day. I really shouldn't have hit her, because she now sported an 'X' shaped scar on her face, on her lower left cheek.

She'd barricaded herself to her lake, sending up an ice barrier around it- it hadn't kept me from hearing her crying and screaming in pain, though.

Now, here I was, dancing around with Jaclyn, who was nervous as all hell in my arms, looking anywhere but at me.

'Time stands still, Beauty in all she is. I will be brave, I will not let anything take away, what's standing in front of me…'

_ I shoulda told her how I really felt… this guilt is eating away at me… the fact that this song really represents her doesn't help at all. Stupid Cupid, meddling in my love affairs…_

'Every breath, every hour has come to this… one, step, closer…' I sighed heavily, knowing what I had to do.

_ I'm going for it this time- I'm not losing her again…_  
I tightened my grip on her slightly, though she didn't seem to notice, keeping her gaze off me. I noticed the tears slipping from her eyes, and the guilt tore me apart.

_** 'I have died every day waiting for you, darling don't be afraid, I have loved you, for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more…**__**  
**__** And all along I believed I would find you, time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more…'**__**  
**_ There was a break in the music, leaving it to an instrumental solo- now was my chance! I kept dancing around the floor, holding Jaclyn's trembling frame closer before I gently lifted her face to mine with a paw- the pain in her eyes was obvious, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Snowflake, I'm so sorry for what I said… ya never ruined Easter."  
"How do you know that?" she squeaked, her voice laced with pain and doubt. I flinched, her words and pain hitting me hard.  
"Because… actually, I don't really know how ta explain it, mate. I just know it. I shoulda never hurt ya…" I attempted to smile, to cheer her up.

'I'll love you for a thousand more…'  
"But… the eggs… if I hadn't been so _**fuckin'**_ obsessed with getting my _**stupid**_ memories back… if I'd never left y-" I cut her off in the only way I could think of- I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers, causing her eyes to go wide with shock and her body to freeze up.

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Third Person's POV

Suddenly, the music started up again, lyrics pouring out.  
'One, step, closer…'

Bunny gently pulled back from the shocked winter spirit, smiling at the jumbled emotions plastered on her face, easily mistaking them for joy and elation, when they were really confusion and heart-ache.  
"Ya enjoy that, ya showpony?" he said. Instead of responding, Jaclyn wrapped her arms around him more firmly, causing him to re-adjust his grip on her so his one paw was still on her shoulder, but his other paw was on her lower back.

'I have died every day waiting for you, darling don't be afraid, I have loved you, for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more…**  
** And all along I believed I would find you, time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more…'

"Jaclyn?"  
"Yes, Bunny?" the girl's face was a deep shade of blue, frost heavily evident on her cheeks as her embarrassment grew.  
"I want ya ta be my mate."  
"But, I thought we were… f-friends already?" she said hesitantly, voice cracking, almost like she didn't believe herself.  
"Nah, not that kinda mate… I meant, like a soul-mate… I love ya, with all my heart, Jaclyn. Please be mine?"

"… I don't know, Bunny…"  
"What's not ta know? I thought ya loved me, shiela?"  
"I did… but…" she shook her head, smiling sadly. "I'm such an idiot…"  
"Why don't ya stay wit' me at the Warren fer a while? Just ta settle in a bit…"  
"… Bunny, I can't…"  
'A thousand more…'

"There's no need ta be scared, Snowflake. I promise, I won't hurt ya ever again." He held the trembling girl closer, lips locking onto hers again as he leaned down.  
Cheers erupted as the song ended, all attention on Cupid as she started up another song, an older Celtic song that few recognized, but danced along to anyway. When Bunny pulled away, his gaze changed from joy and curiosity to sheer heartbreak- Jaclyn was pulling away from him, tears streaming down her face as she ran from the room, grabbing her staff from a nearby wall before jumping out the window.

Bunny ran after her, shouting her name desperately- only to have his voice lost in the howling wind as she flew off.

While she sang, Cupid couldn't help but look over at Jaclyn and Bunny- she knew they belonged together, why couldn't Jaclyn see that?  
Sighing heavily, Cupid realized she'd have to work harder to get Jaclyn to realize what Bunny really meant to her.

"Hallow." She said, turning to the spirit beside her after the song died down a bit. He turned to face her, narrowed eyes gleaming with emotion.

"Yeah, Amour?" he said, voice smooth as silk.

"I need your help to get Jaclyn to realize just how important Bunnymund really is to her- she seems to be too wrapped up in her own guilt to realize he's forgiven both himself and her."

For a moment, Cupid was afraid Hallow would deny her request- after all, Hallow hadn't been able to truly love anyone in over 500 years, and suddenly, Jaclyn comes along and changes that. He'd fallen head-over-heels for the girl, and everyone with a set of decent eyes could see it. He got extremely territorial whenever he believed his territory was being encroached upon, and to him, Jaclyn _was_ his territory, and his alone.

But, to her relief, after a flash of conflicting emotions too jumbled to recognize, he nodded stiffly. She sighed in relief, a plan already formulating in her head.

She just hoped she wouldn't be too late… the poor girl had suffered so much…

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	2. Capture and Nightmares

Jaclyn's POV

I don't know how long I flew, only that I'd ordered the wind to _'take me as far away as possible'_- which, apparently, meant Antarctica.

_Great… my least favorite place on earth… I hate the freakin' cold… besides, this place reminds me of-_

'_Reminds you of who, my dear?'_

I let out a small gasp as my feet touched iced-over ground, eyes darting about nervously.

"Where are you?! Show yourself, Pitch!" I shouted angrily, staff raised and ready to fight- even in my party dress.

'_My, my, such a pretty thing, aren't you? So beautiful, so vulnerable… so afraid…'_

"Pitch, I've told you before- I am not afraid of you!"

"Well, if you aren't afraid of me, what are you afraid of, my dear?" his voice said behind me. I spun around, gasping as I noticed how beaten he looked.

Pitch's robes were torn at the hem, leaving them a good few inches shorter than normal, and his hair was an unkempt mess. But the one thing that was the same- his eyes.

Somehow, his eyes always manage to pierce you soul, to see your deepest fear and doubts, and then… he revels in it. I shifted my staff until it was in front of me, holding him back a good few feet.

"Now, now, is that any way to treat the only one who paid you any attention for the past 300 years, my dear Jaclyn?" he said, raising his hand and lashing me across the face with a whip of black sand. I collapsed on the ground, already weak from being tossed around in the wind's embrace while getting here… the cold wasn't helping either…

"W-what do you want, Pitch?" I gasped weakly, glaring up at him. He twirled a small mass of black sand through his fingers playfully before glancing down at me.

"Hmm… whatever do you think _I_ could want from _you_?"

"My fears… but I am NOT scared of you, you bastard."

"Really? Then I guess instead of your _fear_… I'll have to settle for _you_."

Before I could react, he hurled the black sand at me, making me black out instantly.

Pitch's POV

I can't get over how beautiful she looks, writhing on the bed in front of me, black sand binding her wrists and ankles to the bedposts as even more nightmare sand played with her mind.

Focusing on her fear, I slipped into her nightmare, realizing she was dreaming of being in the Warren again.

She was lying on the ground in front of me, eyes wide with fear. Her pretty, blue dress was torn apart.

"Pitch… w-what do you want from me?"

I walked closer, drinking in her fear like an elixir.

"Why, I want your fear, my dear… oh, did I just make a rhyme?" I chuckled softly, much to her disappointment. I sent out more black sand, pinning her in place as I lifted her dress slightly. Her eyes went wider than before- if that's even possible.

"Oh, yes, Jaclyn. I know the deepest fear of _girls_… it's losing their virginity to the wrong guy… a guy like me, perhaps…"

I reached down to stroke her inner thighs- only to pull my hand back sharply, hissing in pain as I watched a barrier of ice form around her waist, cutting me off from my prize… I left out a frustrated growl, glaring down at her angrily.

"An ice-chastity belt… impressive…" I decided to play with her already-fragile mind, and shatter it completely. "Well, I have a secret as well…" I said, adopting that rabbit's Australian accent with ease. She gasped as I felt my body shift into that of the Easter Bunny, ears shifting to the top of my head and lengthening considerably, eyesight sharpening to a much higher degree, as well as hearing. My feet grew to a larger size, and my robes were shredded as I grew too big for them.

After a minute, I was finished. And from the look of terror and shock on Jaclyn's face, I was certain I looked like the spitting image of that stupid rabbit. I took a slow step closer to her, managing to not stumble over my newly enlarged feet.

"There never was a Boogeyman, Sheila. It was me all along. Now, are ya gonna place nice for me, or do we gotta do this the hard way?"

She let out a small whimper, cringing slightly as if trying to pull away- but my nightmare sand held her in place tightly as I stepped closer.

"Well, then… if I can't have my way wit' ya, might as well have some fun." I pulled back a fist and hit her in the stomach- hard.

She let out a low groan, again trying- and failing- to curl in on herself. I smirked down at her.

"Enjoy, mate." I said gleefully.

I let out multiple hits on her, enjoying every scream she made, every crack of bone- the loudest was when I managed to break both her right arm and left leg at the same time. I'd felt a few of her ribs break as well, at some point.

After hours of torture, and her feeding my desire with her fear, I'd managed to control myself enough to stop- and a good thing too, she looked near death.

I would not kill her- I wanted to break her, to send a warning to the other guardians when I sent her back in pieces.

_Don't mess with Pitch Black…_

"Had enough, shiela?" I said, staring down at her cringing away from me pitifully. She wouldn't even look me in the eye now. I crouched down next to her, still smiling as I heard her labored breathing- likely due to a burst or punctured lung.

"Yer still a thorn in my side, ya pathetic little child." I said, still using that Australian accent to coax her fear even more. I looked her over momentarily, then thought of something. "Ya know, I think yer a bit _big_ for a **child**… I think I should rectify that, don't ya?"

Her eyes started to close in exhaustion, but before she fell into unconsciousness, I sent a burst of nightmare sand into her bloodstream through one of the many openings I'd made on her skin. I watched in fascination as she began to shrink before me, features and body changing until…

Slowly, painstakingly slowly, the ice around her waist began to melt…

_Soon, Jaclyn dear… soon._

**Author's note: Please don't hate me 'cause I changed things!**

**It wasn't sitting well with me, and I needed to change certain things!**

**Shall I go hide in my hater-proof bunker now? *packs bags, then pauses* Or… maybe you guys don't WANT me to hide?**


	3. Bunny's Discovery

Pitch's POV: 10 years later…

The fact that she's slept through the entire process of me 'getting into her mind' afterwards was nothing short of a miracle- even if she'd been plagued with my nightmares. Even the fact that she'd survived the transformation from teen Guardian to mere child was astonishing.

Her raspy breathing, however, was starting to get on my nerves. I kicked her in the side with my foot, jerking her into wakefulness.

"Wake up, you worthless brat." I hissed. She only looked up at me with fear and confusion- the fear, I could understand… but confusion?

I knelt down next to her- even as she backed away on all fours- smirking at her fear.

"Do you know who I am, my dear?" I said softly.

"N-no… w-who am I? I don't 'member anything…" she said, her voice stumbling over the words.

_Hmm, apparently the sand worked __**too**__ well… not only is she a child now, but she has the mentality of one too. As well, her memories seem to have disappeared… but not, however, her fear…_

"I am the Boogeyman, Pitch Black. You, are Jaclyn Frost, and you are a major nuisance to me."

"What's a nui-science?" she said, eyes wide now with fear.

"An annoyance. Tell me, how old are you?"

Her face scrunched up for a moment before she held up a few fingers- four, to be exact.

_Four years old… seems about right._

"Well, Jaclyn… do you know what rape is?"

Nervously, she nodded. For a child, she was a smart one! After a moment of shock, I turned my attention back to her.

"You remember Bunnymund, don't y-"

"NO, NONONONONONONONO! DEMON, BAD MAN, BAD BUNNY! LEAVE ME ALONE! STIPUD BASTARDS!" for a moment, the old Jaclyn shone through the child exterior, eyes understanding before going to blank confusion and fear.

"Two Jaclyn's… interesting…"

Jaclyn's POV

I didn't know who this bad man was, all I knew was he knew the Bunny- the evil, bad Bunny from my nightmares! Nothing else mattered- if they knew each other, then I was going to be in pain.

Before he could do anything else to me, I jumped up and grabbed my staff from next to me- how I knew what it was, let alone that it was mine, I don't know… I just did. I jumped into the air, a strong wind catching me and lifting me out of this evil place.

When I was in the light, the wind suddenly changed from light to fierce and harsh- seemingly yelling at me, scolding me!

'_How dare you imitate the Frost child?! Where is Frost?!'_ it howled, it voice all around me, yet nowhere at the same time. I let out a small cry as its support suddenly disappeared, leaving me to crash to the ground, landing in a heavy snow bank…

Everything went dark… my last thought was that I would not be found by the bad man… or worse, the Bunny that haunted me…

Bunny's POV

Ten years. Jaclyn had been missing for ten years- the others had long since stopped looking for her after the first few months, but I never did.

Every Easter, I'd leave out a special egg at her lake, just for her- in the hopes she'd find it, and come home finally… it was a light blue, dusted with white frost and delicate snowflakes. I'd go back after a week, to see if she'd come back- but, the egg was still there, no sign of Jaclyn anywhere.

It was Easter again, and I just wasn't feeling up to the challenge like I normally did- maybe because I was losing hope myself… finishing up where I was, I tapped a foot on the ground, dropping into a tunnel and closing it behind me. I ran down the tunnel until I hit the end, bursting into the sunlight. I recognized the scene around me- Jaclyn's lake.

Sighing heavily, I sat down by the edge of the lake, looking out over the surface.

_Where are ya, Jaclyn? Why'd ya leave us… why'd ya leave me?_

Suddenly, I heard a moan off to the side. Ears turning towards the sound, I quickly found the source- a child, sleeping in the snow! I ran over, aiming to help the kid. When I got close enough, I recoiled slightly- this kid reeked of blood and hormones! Sniffing again, I realized there was an underlying stench on her- Pitch.

My anger boiled at the thought of Pitch doing this to a child. While it didn't seem that he'd raped the poor kid- upon closer inspection, I realized it was a girl, no more than four years old at most- he'd still beaten and tortured her within an inch of her life. I carefully picked her up, noting she'd need a bath.

"What do I do now…? Not 'xactly like I've taken care o' a kid b'fore… then again… she can't be _too_ different from a kit, can she?"

Tapping my foot on the ground, I dropped into a tunnel heading for the Warren, hoping this kid wasn't worse off than she seemed…

**Author's note: Sorry 'bout the changes! While I love this story, it wasn't sitting well with me on what I had… had to change, sorry! But, those chapter I eliminated will come back- updated, and better than ever!**

**Comments? Suggestions? Please tell me, your reviews are my bread and water- don't let me starve! Or else I WILL go hide in the bunker…**


	4. Santoff Claussen

**Author's note: OMG, SO MANY REVIEWS! Damn it, you guys must really love this…**

**So… I am gonna be nice tonight- not one, but two chapters! If I can't get the second up tonight, I swear, it'll be up by tomorrow morning, so keep watch!**

**Also, you guys might wanna listen to this version of 'Thousand Years' while reading this… cause of what I got Bunny doing later. Just punch in the usual YouTube URL, then add this, but omit the spaces- / watch? v=llqTMkI_3TI**

**DON'T LISTEN UNTIL HE PULLS OUT THE GUITAR, THOUGH!**

**Damn it, I spoiled it, didn't I? Oh, well…**

**Just realized, I never put up a disclaimer.**

**I don't own the Guardians… yet. Though I only want Bunny…**

**~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!**

Third Person's POV

Santoff Claussen

"North!" Bunnymund shouted, carefully placing the unknown girl on a nearby couch.

"Bunny, to what do I owe- what is wrong, old friend?"

Bunnymund backed away from the couch hesitantly, looking over at the large man next to him. North, who usually was full of joy and cheer, looked down at the small girl on his couch in fear and pain.

"What happened to child?"

"Dunno, found her like this, passed out in a snow bank of all places… Pitch's scent is all over her, North. I was gonna take her ta the Warren, but figured ya might…" he trailed off uncertainly, shrugging in confusion. Obviously, he had no clue what to do in this situation.

"Wise choice, Bunny. Get her to infirmary, I will get yeti to help."

Bunnymund picked up the limp girl, noting her weakened heartbeat- almost nothing, slow and dim. He hurried to the infirmary, lying her on a bed as a yeti rushed in, pushing him out of the room in the process. The door slammed in front of him, and he leaned against the wall, twirling a boomerang in his paws.

Pitch's POV

Oh, the rabbit's fear was _delicious_… I couldn't help myself as I withdrew from the shadows, a smirk on my face as he straightened slightly.

"Well, well, well, how the mighty have fallen. Seems only a few years ago, you were willing to do anything to find Jaclyn, and now you ditch her for some random brat in a snow bank." I taunted.

"I didn't ditch her- I KNOW she's alive, somewhere. And what are _you_ doing here, ya whacker?"

"Oh, you should know by now- wherever there's fear, I am there to… indulge myself."

"Well, ya can leave now- there's no fear here." He said, and for a moment, I bought it. **His **fear was gone- _Jaclyn's_, however, was as potent as ever. I could feel it, even through the thick wooden door separating me and her.

"Well, before I go, you should know one last thing, rabbit. The little shiela and I," I said, adopting his voice once again, making his eyes go wide with shock. "We had an ace time, mate. Ya might wanna ask her yourself… if she can answer, that is." I laughed, sinking into the shadows as he lunged at me, only to disappear before he could.

The rabbit would find out soon enough, that no one messes with Pitch Black and escapes… unscathed.

Bunny's POV

_What's that lousy dill talkin' 'bout, an' why'd he imitate my voice like that? Was he tryin' ta prove a point or somethin'?_

Before I could think more about what Pitch meant, I heard the door next to me opening. The yeti inside looked down at me, nodding in approval- the kid was ok. She'd live. I walked into the room, glancing down at the kid, only to gasp in realization as I recognized her, now clean and in a white nightgown.

If her slitted, bright blue eyes weren't enough, the white hair did it for me.

"Jaclyn… oh, love, what'd he do ta ya…?"

She only twitched in her sleep, seemingly unable to wake. Sighing, I sat down on a nearby chair and simply watched her for a while, making sure that Pitch didn't return. That didn't stop her nightmares, though.

I watched as the black sand crept into the room, twisting into foul images above her head- images, I realized, were really memories of what happened to her…

I watched in horror as her nightmare-sand self was ripped to pieces over and over by the nightmare-sand Pitch, who laughed all the while.

She cried out in pain, until Pitch came and squeezed her throat until she fell silent- he'd taken her voice! I clenched my paws into tight fists as I watched him cast some sort of spell, making her dream-self shrink until she was the size, and apparent age, of a child.

Then, the worst came. I watched in disgust as he lifted up her dress, aiming to rape her- yet, I had to laugh in triumph as he pulled his hand back, hissing in pain at contact with her ice-chastity belt. My pride quickly turned to worry, though. Had he succeeded?

Hesitantly, I reached over and pulled up her nightgown- only bruising. Her ice had held after all, but only enough to prevent the rape, not the bruising. The black sand dissipated, but she continued to toss and turn in her sleep.

_I gotta do somethin'… wait, music! She once told me music always calms her down, and she loves ta sing!_

Scanning the room, I spotted a nearby guitar and snatched it up, tuning it for a second until I remembered the chords.

_What do I play, though? Has to be somethin' that'll calm her down… wait! That's it!_

I started to play the song I'd heard Cupid singing on the night we danced at North's Annual Christmas party, ten years ago…

OK, PLAY THE SONG NOW! HERE- www. YouTube watch? v=llqTMkI_3TI

YOU CAN'T ENJOY THIS SCENE WITHOUT IT!

As soon as I started to play, Jaclyn instantly relaxed, a small smile forming on her face as tears leaked out. Golden sand trickled into the room now, forming a familiar image above her head- our dance, ten years ago… she wore a golden dress this time, but in my memory, it was the same blue as her eyes.

I noticed a small, golden rabbit walk up to her- me! She remembered me! I watched my dream-self bowed slightly, asking her to dance. I recognized the look on her dream-self's face now- regret, and fear.

She'd been scared… of me? As I continued to play, I watched the dream figures twirl about, Jaclyn's dream-self slowly leaning in closer to my dream-self until her head was tucked under my chin.

_This is… different from the actual dance… wait, could this… could this be what she _**wanted**_ to do, but was afraid to follow through on?_

"Oh, Jaclyn… why didn't ya say somethin' ta me?" I said, finishing the song with a small flourish, causing her to wake up.

"Snowflake? Ya alright?" she seemed to go tense at my voice, eyes wide with… _wait a sec, was that… fear?! No, she can't be scared of me, she- Pitch._

Suddenly, it made sense- why Pitch had mimicked my voice specifically. He'd changed into me in her nightmares, and twisted her perspective of me into that of a monster. Her eyes confirmed it- wide, full of terror as she pressed against the headboard.

"Aww, Snowflake… I ain't gonna hurt ya…"

Her eyes shifted for a second, to something else.

_Hope… maybe, there's hope after all…_

**Author's note (yes, again!):**

**Good? Did you guys like this?**

**Sorry to my betas, StarMaya and Qwerty124 for not telling you about this- I REALLY wanted the chapters up, so if anyone, and I mean ****ANYONE**** has an idea to improve this chapter, please comment!**

**Also, the part I am looking to improve is that first part, before Bunny 'serenades' the sleeping child-like Jaclyn, Ok?**

**That scene with Bunny, the guitar, and sleeping Jaclyn is staying the same, no matter what.**

**The rest is open to discussion.**

**Next chapter, by tomorrow morning, for sure! See you then!**


	5. The Warren

**Author's Note: I realized some people don't got a clue how to work the link… you know, the one to hear Bunny's song, in the last chapter.**

**I made the link so that all you have to do- and this is for the one called 'Guest'- 1****st****: TYPE IN THE NORMAL YOUTUBE ADDRESS LIKE SO, AND REMEMBER TO REMOVE THE SPACES, BECAUSE I AM ADDING THEM IN SO THIS WILL SHOW UP! www. YouTube. com**

**2****nd****: COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING AFTER THE . com**

**/ watch? v=llqTMkI_3TI**

**Got it? Good!**

**Here y'all go! Next chapter is up- this one, Bedtime.**

**Gonna be in Bunny's POV for a while, now. Either his, or Pitch's.**

Bunny's POV

After managing to get Jaclyn settled down, I decided it'd be better for everyone if I took her back to the Warren- I knew, without a doubt, she'd be safe there.

"Besides," I told North when he started protesting. "She's bound ta make some sort o' trouble, an' ya know I can handle it- Easter's over fer the year, anyhow. Ya got Christmas ta worry 'bout, mate!"

"But, Bunny what about rut?"

I froze- I'd forgotten all about it. Whenever Easter ended, out of body instincts, I went into mating season… though, for the last ten years, I hadn't been able to satisfy my needs. I knew, with Jaclyn in the Warren, I'd be uncontrollable- but, it didn't matter. I also knew, no matter how bad my instincts got, since she was in the body of a child, she'd be safe.

I explained to North, and before he could protest more, I scooped up Jaclyn's sleeping form in my arms and dropped into a tunnel, closing it up behind us as I slid down into the Warren. Once my feet touched grass, however, Jaclyn seemed to decide to wake up fully. She took one look at me, and instantly started squirming out of my grip, tumbling to the ground and backing away on all fours, crouched like some sort of… animal, almost…

_300 years alone, away from other guardians, what else would she act like? Probably hung around animals most of the time, wolves and foxes from how she's actin'…_

She was crouched low to the ground, head hung low, in a completely submissive posture. If she had a tail and wolf ears, they'd be down low as well. I watched as she backed away slowly, tongue slipping out from between her lips to lick at her canines.

I'd always wondered why her canine teeth were more animal-like that the rest of her physical appearance, poking out slightly from her mouth as small upper fangs. Shrugging it off, I lowered myself to her level, appearing submissive as well. If there was one thing I knew, it was animals.

"Easy, girl, I ain't gonna hurt ya… m'just a big Bunny, m'kay?" I spread a paw out hesitantly in front of her, letting her see I meant no harm.

To my surprise, however, she leaned forward- and sniffed me! She sniffed at my paw, almost like she was smelling if I was friend of foe…

_She's part animal, at least… might just make this easier to deal with…_

"Hey, ya wanna play, shiela?" at the word **'play'**, she jerked to attention, her eyes lit up in delight. I reached towards her and, before she could run off, snatched her up in my arms and flung her onto my back.

She sank her fingers into my fur, clutching painfully. I winced slightly, turning my head to better look at her.

"Hey, don' worry, shiela. We're jus' gonna have some fun, ok?"

"F-fu-fun?" she stuttered. Eyes wide, I stared at her, slowly nodding.

_Seems her voice wasn't taken after all… that's good._

"M-me wanna h-have f-fun…" she stuttered some more, tripping over her words, but managing to get them out nonetheless. Suddenly, I recognized the gleam in her eyes- she was planning something.

"Hey, what're you thinkin', Snowflake?" I said cautiously.

"K-kan'roo!" she squealed, smirking widely at me.

_Kan'roo? What's that supposed to mean? C'mon, kid, say my name already, say Bun- hang on…_

"Wait, did you just call me… a kangaroo?!" her trademark grin appeared, devilishly taunting me.

_Why, that little-_

Suddenly, I felt a cool breeze blowing in my face. I realized Jaclyn was using her magic on me to make me feel happy and playful. Dropping to all fours, I grinned back at her. Her smile was amazing, it filled my heart with hope and love as I ran through the flower fields, through the paint-flowers and by the rivers. She squealed in joy as I ran faster, weaving in and out of the trees, shouting in joy all the while.

Suddenly, I felt her grip loosen, and before I could do anything, she tumbled off my back, landing heavily on the ground- right in a nearby rose-bush. She howled in pain as the thorns sank into her arm and hands. I ran over, by her side in an instant.

"Hey, easy, easy, Bunny's here. I ain't gonna leave ya, see? Now, let's get ya fixed up, shall we?" I gently grabbed her injured arm, only to see the thorns falling out on their own, and her arm frosting over.

"Hey… what are ya doin', ya ankle-biter?"

"Fix." She said, letting out a small yawn. Sighing, I realized that it was sunset, meaning she'd probably stayed up too late. I picked her up- to which she didn't protest this time- and carried her into my burrow.

It wasn't anything special, just a living room, a kitchen, a few guest rooms, a washroom, and a private room for myself. I took her into my room, settling her into the nest before lying down on the other side, settling in for a good night's rest…

Jaclyn's POV

Something was… different. I remembered playing with Bunny, but couldn't remember much about the actual incident… I felt a small jab in my arm, and, looking down, realized I must have gotten scraped up because my arm was frosted over slightly to prevent infection while I healed.

_Wonder where I am…?_

Suddenly, I heard movement next to me. I stiffened as something moved closer to me, rubbing against my back. I tried moving away, but something furry grabbed me, pulling me back.

"Eep!" I squeaked in shock, making the whatever-it-was wake up fully.

"Ugh… Jaclyn? Wait, what happened ta ya? Weren't ya a little ankle-biter a minute ago?"

_That voice… no spite, no malice… could it really be him, not a nightmare again…?_

Slowly, I turned around until I met a familiar emerald gaze.

"Bunny! Oh, thank Moon you are alright!"

"W-whadya mean, shiela?"

"P-pitch… he… pretended to be you, so I'd fear you… I never fell for it, though… after the first few times, I realised it was all a nightmare- at least, the parts where he was you were…" I trailed off sadly, eyes downcast as I realized Bunny probably already knew, and wouldn't want me anymore.

"Aw, no, I ain't lettin' ya get all down again. Look at me- Jaclyn, look at me!" hesitantly, I looked up at him, gasping lightly at the fierce emotions held in his haze.

"I love ya, ok? Nothin's ever gonna change that. Don't be doubtin' yourself, Snowflake. The reason I pushed you away was 'cause I doubted you really loved me! I mean, c'mon. I'm a Pooka, for moon's sake. Last o' my kind, too."

"…Bunny, it didn't matter, I still loved you…"

"No, not loved. You DO still love me."

"B-but-"

"I know you do, ok? Now, get some sleep. We'll talk more in the morning, love." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close as his eyes closed in sleep. I still felt uncomfortable being so close to anyone, let alone him, so I tried to squirm out of his grip. I managed to get to the edge of the nest before he grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

I landed with a grunt, distorted for a moment- which was all Bunny needed. He rolled over in his sleep, rolling on top of me and settling down, his body easily covering mine completely- not that it was a problem. He was at least a foot or two taller than me!

_Not good, not good, sofreakingnotgood!_

Before I could squirm out again, he leaned down and nuzzled my head affectionately.

"Easy, Snowflake… not gonna hurt, promise…" he muttered before settling down again, wrapped loosely around me.

…_he… really does care… maybe… I should give him a chance. Yes. I'll give love a chance._

Managing to calm down, I settled in underneath him for a comfortable night's sleep, not noticing the softly glowing pair of pink eyes in the corner.

**Author's note: PROMISE KEPT, WHEW!**

***wipes sweat off brow***

**Damn, that was interesting. In case any are wondering, the spell Pitch put on Jaclyn wore off overnight. Leaving her, in her nightgown, back in her teenage body… in Bunny's nest… with Bunny… and remember, boys and girls…**

**Bunny's rut is coming soon.**

**Don't worry, nothing bad will happen to Snowflake!**

**Also, the owner of the pink eyes is not, I repeat, NOT A BAD GUY!**

**It's Cupid!**

**So, renovating my basement living room this month, will try to update as much as possible, ok guys? No promises, though, sorry…**

**KEEP THOSE REVIEWS COMING, BUNNIES!**

**Oh, wanted to dedicate this chapter to FeastOnTheMind, because of their story 'I'm Broken Without You'.**

**Seriously, go read it- the last chapter, 'Bath', was what inspired me to write this…**


	6. Mating Season Begins

**A/N: Ok, last chapter, Bunnies, and it is short-and-sweet! HEY! ***dodges flying fruit, shoes, and dirty laundry*

**OK, WHO THREW THE DAMNED LAUNDRY?! ***silence*

**Thought so. Ok, hate me or not, I have trouble doing multiple stories at once. Besides, this was never meant to be real long…**

**Enjoy! FLUFFY KISSES!**

When I woke the next morning, I realized Bunny was gone. Panicking slightly, I jumped out of his nest and ran down the hall- only to find him in the kitchen, making pancakes.

_Seriously? He's making pancakes?_

"Oi, there ya are- thought you'd be awake b'fore now. Doesn't matter- breakfast's almost ready, Snowflake."

_There it is- that name again… Snowflake. It makes me… warm inside… happy…_

Hesitantly, I sat down at the table, patiently waiting for Bunny to finish breakfast as I poked through a bowl of berries. I jumped slightly when a heaping plate of pancakes was dropped in front of me, thick syrup oozing down the sides.

"Well, eat up!" he said cheerfully, digging into his own plate eagerly. I noticed his plate held more fruit on it than mine- probably due to him being a rabbit and all. I picked at my food hesitantly, not willing to believe the dream-come-true in front of me.

"Jaclyn? Ya alright? Ya haven't touched yer food…"

I looked up and met Bunny's concerned gaze, realizing he'd already finished his meal and had been watching me for a good few minutes.

"…Not really hungry, sorry…"

He got up from his seat and walked around the table behind me, pulling me up and into his arms, sniffing my hair lightly.

"Ya don't smell sick…"

"Bunny, it's wonderful thought, truly, but I'm just… having trouble believing this is real… I mean, 300 years is a long time to be alone. It… does things to you, makes you wonder… what it is you did to deserve the cold, the loneliness, the fear of rejection."

"Jaclyn, I told ya last night- I ain't losin' ya again. Bloody oath, I swear I won't leave you alone again. 300 years is too long, I know… if I had known, I woulda done somethin', but it's in the past, and I can't change it- but I can change the future. And I want you in mine, Snowflake."

"Bunny, I don't deser- mmph!" I was cut off as his lips pressed against mine, tongue running over my lower lip, practically begging to be let in. I hesitantly opened my mouth, and his tongue slipped in, wrapping around mine gently, exploring my mouth as I did the same with his. I let out a small moan as I felt his paws roaming lower and lower. Suddenly I felt him grab my ass, and I squealed, pulling away quickly.

"Bunny! What the hell?!" I growled lightly, not entirely angry at him- mostly caught off-guard.

"Sorry, Snowflake, I shoulda warned ya- mating season starts for me right after Easter, and I kinda can't help myself around ya…" his ears were folded back against his head in embarrassment, and I chuckled lightly.

"Well, then… if we're going to be doing _that_, you should know I am a 318-year-old virgin… with a stubborn streak longer than North's beard. You want me?" I pulled my dress up slightly, revealing the ice creeping up my legs to form my chastity-belt. "Then you gotta prove you do." I said devilishly.

Bunny let loose a low growl, quickly slinging me over his shoulder and carrying me back to our room- I liked saying that, _our_ room… I finally had a home…

I recognized a glimpse of pink from the corner of my eye and smiled.

_You were right, Cupid. Guess it takes a lover to know what the heart wants._

**A/N: And so ends 'Frosted Heartbreak, Warming Love…'**

**Y'all might wanna check out my new story, 'In Darkness, Lies Hope…'**

**The summary tells all, and it is- naturally- a 'Rise of the Guardians' story… but with a little… ****_extra_**** tossed in!**

**WARNING, IT IS RATED 'M' FOR LATER CHAPTERS!**


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